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Explore Ancient Egypt - FREE chance to see treasures from Land of the Pharaohs at Hansons

Ancient Egyptian antiquities which are more than 3,000 years old are coming up for auction – and will be on public view in Derbyshire at a FREE event for the first time ever.

Nearly 100 years after the world was entranced by the discovery of the contents of Tutankhamun’s tomb, some 220 items will be displayed at Hansons Auctioneers in Heage Lane, Etwall, on Monday, January 21 from 5.30pm-7pm.

The Julian Bird Egyptian Antiquity Collection has been consigned to auction and will be sold at Hansons London saleroom on February 11.

But before the collection heads south, Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons, wants to give the people of Derbyshire an opportunity to see what he describes as ‘extraordinary antiquities’ and learn more. He will be giving a talk about the objects at the event.

Items, include shabti figures, which were placed in tombs and intended to act as servants or minions for the deceased. There is also an Amarna period collar necklace made with faience beads, estimate £2,000-£3,000, and a carnelian perfume vessel, circa 3100 BC, estimate £600-£800. Other items include rare amulets made of faience and semi-precious stones.

Many of the objects were first collected by wealthy travellers centuries ago, such as a wooden Egyptian shabti figure featuring hieroglyphs inscribed for a worker of Rameses, thought to be a tutor due to the inscription. Dating back to the Ramesside Period, 1295 – 1189 BC, it has an estimate of £2,000-£3,000.

Mr Hanson said: “This is a famous collection. Julian Bird brought together many fine examples of Egyptian antiquities and other forms of art over a 40-year period.

“These stunning artefacts were purchased from high-flying galleries and auction houses between the 1970s and 2013. Provenance is key when buying ancient art which makes this collection special as most pieces have invoices and written provenance.”

James Brenchley, Head of Ancient Art and Antiquities at Hansons, said: “It’s been an exciting task cataloguing and handling such well-documented pieces of Egyptian antiquities from the time of the pharaohs.

“The majority of these amazing pieces are more than 3,000 years old and date back to iconic pharaohs such as Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, Nefertiti, Tutankhamun and Rameses II.

“The New Kingdom lasted from the 16th century all the way through to the 11th century BC. This period was referred to as Egypt’s golden age, during which some amazing pieces of art were produced. At this time, representations of gods and deities hit new heights.

“Julian Bird carefully presented all his stunning examples of ancient art on stands and in display cases. He was a true collector and respected custodian of ancient art. He documented most of his purchases to a very high standard, translating hieroglyphs onto work sheets.”

Mr Hanson said: “I am extremely proud to be able to bring such an important collection to Derbyshire. This will be the one and only chance to view this collection in its entirety in the county prior to auction and I very much hope people interested in ancient history will join us at our open evening.”

The Julian Bird Collection will be available to view at Hansons Auction Centre, Heage Lane, Etwall, on Monday, January 21, 5.30pm-7pm. To confirm attendance, please email [email protected]. The collection will be sold at Hansons London Saleroom, Normansfield Theatre, Teddington, on Monday, February 11. To find out more, email [email protected].